Fruit-packing form.



Patente'd Oct. 23, |900.

S. I.. CASELLA. FRUIT PACKING FORM.

(Application 'led Aug. 23, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

SEGUNDO L. CASELLA, OF ALMA, CALIFORNIA.

FRUIT-PACKING FORM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 660,362, dated October 23, 1900.

Application filed August 23, 1900. Serial No. 27,318. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, SEGUNDO L. CASELLA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alma, in the county of Santa Clara, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Fruit- Packing Forms; and I hereby declare the fol'- lowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to an apparatus which is designed for rapidly filling baskets or packages with fruit, such as grapes, berries, &c., which are ordinarily packed into small veneer baskets. The apparatus consists of a rectangular frame having elastic metallic plates fixed and projecting outwardly in one direction from the frame. These plates are approximately the shape of the basket which is to be lilled, and between the plates is litted a slidable block, which may be moved to the top or bottom of the plates, with means for holding it in either position. The frame is fulcrumed in a yoke, which yoke is fixed to the table or bench where the work is to be done, and the frame is turnable within the yoke, so that it can be reversed, with suitable locking devices for either position. The frame being turned sothat the plates project upwardly, the block 01 plate within the space inclosed by the plates drops to the lower side and is there supported While the space between the plates is filled with the fruit. The basket is then placed over the plates and the device reversed in the frame. The basket can then be withdrawn,and the fruit is pressed into the basket by the movable plate or follower.

My invention also comprises details of construction which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure l is a vertical section through the apparatus, showing it in the position to be lilled. Fig. 2 is a similar view reversed and ready to be discharged. Fig. 3 is a plan View of Fig. 2.

A is the frame, which is here shown as rectangular, but may be made ot' any shape corresponding with that of the basket or package which is to be illed. The frame may also be made of any suitable or desired Inaterial, either wood or metal. To the inner side of this frame are fixed the elastic metal plates 2, projecting outwardly in one direction.

These plates are separated at the angles, as here shown, and correspond closely in shape with the form of the package to be filled.

The frame A isV journaled in a yoke or support 3, which yoke is secured to the table, bench, or other convenient support `by means of clamps, (shown at 4,) so that the whole ap paratus projects from one side ot' the table.

Upon one side of the fra-me A are made pin-holes or other equivalent locking devices, as at 5, and the spindle upon that side carries a plate or sleeve, with pins 6, which are adapted to enter the pin-holes 5 when the frame lies in the horizontal position with either side up. By means of a spring, as at 7, the frame is normally moved, so .that the pins will drop into the holes whenever they are brought in line therewith. In order to turn the frame, it is only necessary to move it in linewith its axis or support until the pins are disengaged from the holes. Then when it is reversed the action of the spring will cause the pins to again drop into the holes and lock the frame in position.

Between the plates 2 is a follower-block 8, which is connected by pivot-lin ks 9 with the inner side of the frame A, and this block may have a handle, as at l0, upon one side. The movement of this follower, as allowed by the links 9, is sufficient to allow it to drop to the full depth of the space between the plates 2 in the direction of the bottom and similarly to approximately the full depth in the opposite direction, where it is arrested by any suitable stops, as at 11.

The operation ot' the device will then be a follows: The frame A being turned in the yoke 3 to occupy the position shown in Fig. l, the plates 2 stand in the shape of an inverted basket, and the follower 8 will drop to the lower side or on a level with what would be the top of such basket. The fruit vto be packed is then placed between the plates 2 until the space between the plates is Iilled. The basket (which is outlined in dotted lines in Fig. l and shown in full lines' at 13, Fig. 2) is then placed over the plates 2, extending down exterior to them and resting upon the surface of the frame A. `The handle l2, connected with the pivot stem or axis of the plate, is then moved, so as to press the spring IOO \ pare them for the market.

7 and withdraw the pin C from the holesi, which allows: t-heiframe to bereversed, the basket being held in position byliandforothn erwise while this reversing takes place, and upon releasing the handle 12 the pins wiil again engage the holes and hold the frame in this position, in which-thebasket isthenmight side up, as shown in Fig. 2, and it is then removed downwardly froin the plates 2. The follower` 8 is at the saine timerpresseddown between the plates as far as the links l0 will allow, and this presses the fruit out into the basket, which ca1n-thenibe remcvedland the frame A again re versedin position to be again i filled.

By this means the operator is enabled to rapidly7 and accurately fill baskets and plie- Having` thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters, Patent, is-

l`. An apparatus or form for packingfruit, consisting of a centrally-pivoted reversible frame having elastic plates projectingrfrom one side, corresponding in shape with` the form of the package to be filled, said plates latching, devices by which the frame is held 'ih horizontal position with either face uppermost, elastic plates projecting from one side of said frame, and having a form correspondingu withthat cfthe" package to be filled, a

follower,links by which said follower is suspended between said plates and movable from top to bottointhereof whereby the space between. theiplatesmay first befilled., a` basket Qr packageplaced:v oven tl1espac,e andthe devieereversedand the fruit pressed into the basket,` as the latter is removed fromth eflform.

In witnesswhereof I` have hereunto Setiny hand..

SEGUNDO L.` CASELLA. Witnesses;

J.. CASELLA VL, PINHETTI. 

